Al-Mughni is a well-known Islamic legal reference written by Imam Ibn Qudamah al-Maqdisi Rahimahullah
[547-620 H], a prominent medieval Muslim scholar of the Hanbali school of Islamic Jurisprudence. The book is a comprehensive guide to Hanbali fiqh (Islamic jurisprudence) and covers a wide range of topics related to Islamic
law, including acts of worship, family law, commercial law, criminal law, and inheritance law. In fact Al-Mughni is a magnum opus of Islamic jurisprudence.

Al-Mughni is a Sharh (commentary) of Mukhtasar al-Khiraqi. Rather, Mukhtasar al-Khiraqi is a concise manual of Hanbali fiqh authored by Abu al-Qasim Umar ibn Husain ibn Abdullah bin Ahmad al-Khiraqi Rahimahullah [d.334 H].

There are several salient features of Al-Mughni that make it a unique and valuable work of Hanbali fiqh. Some of
these features include:

Al-Mughni covers a wide range of topics related to Hanbali fiqh, including acts of worship, family law, commercial law, criminal law, and inheritance law, among others. It provides detailed guidance on various legal issues and is considered one of the most comprehensive works of Hanbali fiqh.

Al-Mughni is known for its clear and concise writing style, making it easy for readers to understand and navigate its contents. The book is also well-organized, with each legal issue presented in a systematic and logical manner.

Imam Ibn Qudamah relies heavily on evidence from the Quran, Hadith, and the opinions of earlier scholars to support his conclusions on legal issues. This demonstrates his commitment to following the sources of Islamic law and
presenting a well-reasoned and evidence-based approach to Hanbali fiqh.

While Al-Mughni is primarily a Hanbali fiqh reference book, Imam Ibn Qudamah engages with the opinions of scholars from other schools of Islamic law, demonstrating a willingness to engage in comparative jurisprudence and consider different perspectives on legal issues.

Al-Mughni has been a highly influential work in the field of Hanbali fiqh and has been subject to numerous commentaries and annotations by later scholars. Its continued relevance and importance are a testament to its enduring value as a reference book for Hanbali fiqh.

Al-Mughni is considered one of the most important works in Hanbali fiqh and is widely studied and referenced by scholars and students of Islamic law. It is known for its clarity and conciseness, making it accessible to both scholars and laypeople alike. The book has been subject to many commentaries and annotations, attesting to its significance as a reference for Islamic law.

Al-Mughni is a voluminous work that consists of multiple volumes. The book is divided into different sections and covers a wide range of topics related to Hanbali fiqh. The exact number of volumes and pages can vary depending on the edition and publication, but generally, it is a multi-volume set that can run into several thousand
pages.

For example, one popular edition of Al-Mughni published by Dar al-Kutub al-Ilmiyah contains 10 volumes, with each volume consisting of around 500 to 600 pages. Another edition published by Dar al-Fikr contains 14 volumes, with each volume consisting of around 500 pages. Despite its length, Al-Mughni is known for its clarity and organization, which makes it easy for readers to navigate and understand its contents.

Fiqh al-Muqaran (comparative jurisprudence) is not the primary subject of Al-Mughni. Rather, Al-Mughni
is primarily a Hanbali fiqh reference book that deals with Islamic law according to the Hanbali school of thought. It presents the Hanbali perspective on various legal issues, based on the sources of Islamic law, including the
Quran, Hadith (Prophetic traditions), the consensus of the scholars (ijma’), and legal reasoning (ijtihad).

That being said, there are instances in Al-Mughni where Imam Ibn Qudamah refers to the opinions of other schools of Islamic law and engages in comparative jurisprudence.

However, this is not the primary focus of the book and these discussions are generally limited to specific legal issues
where there are differences of opinion among the scholars.

Overall, while Al-Mughni may touch upon comparative jurisprudence at times, it is primarily a reference book for the Hanbali school of Islamic law, and its main
focus is on presenting the Hanbali perspective on various legal issues.

While Al-Mughni is a comprehensive reference book of Hanbali fiqh, it is not typically considered a
“fatwa book” in the sense that it provides specific rulings on contemporary legal issues.

Because Al-Mughni presents detailed discussions on legal issues and provides evidence-based conclusions,
it can be a useful resource for scholars and muftis when issuing fatwas. When a scholar or mufti is presented with a legal question, they will often consult the relevant sources of Islamic law to develop a well-reasoned and
evidence-based opinion.

In the case of Hanbali scholars and muftis, Al-Mughni can be a valuable resource for consulting the Hanbali school’s legal doctrines and gaining a deeper understanding of the evidence and reasoning behind those
doctrines. By reviewing the relevant discussions in Al-Mughni, a scholar or mufti can develop a more informed and nuanced opinion on a legal issue, and can provide a well-reasoned and evidence-based fatwa.

It is worth noting, however, that while Al-Mughni can be a useful resource for scholars and muftis, it is
not a substitute for the process of ijtihad, which is the independent reasoning and interpretation of Islamic law based on the sources. Ultimately, a scholar or mufti must use their own independent reasoning and interpretation,
informed by the sources of Islamic law and the guidance of earlier scholars, to issue a fatwa. Al-Mughni, therefore, serves as a valuable reference tool to supplement the process of ijtihad and to support a well-informed and
evidence-based approach to issuing fatwas.